Saturday is Shred Day DFW

It's time to clean out the clutter and shred it. Saturday is the sixth annual Shred Day DFW. This year there's a new location and some new goodies on site. Consumer reporter Steve Noviello talks to Peter Sefzik from Comerica Bank about what you should shred and what you can't.

The event will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Farmers Branch, just North of I- 635 and I-35. The address is 12700 N. Stemmons Freeway, Farmers Branch, Texas 75234.

Since 2011, Comerica Bank and Iron Mountain have helped Texans securely destroy and recycle more than 1.6 million pounds of sensitive paper documents at our Shred Day events, helping keep that paper out of the hands of dumpster-diving identity thieves and local landfills.

In the process, generous guests have helped us raise more than $61,000 and have donated more than 54,500 pounds of food for our food bank partners, which are equivalent to providing more than 200,000 meals for our hungry neighbors. This year KDFW FOX 4 is a proud media sponsor for Shred Day DFW and the North Texas Food Bank is the official event beneficiary. The Dallas Stars and the Dr. Pepper StarCenter Farmers Branch are new event partners!

Shred Day DFW is free and open to the public, and there is no limit to how much paper people can bring! Shredding sensitive documents that contain personally identifiable information (like names, addresses, dates of birth and social security and account numbers) is the single best way to prevent identity theft, the fastest growing crime in the U.S. with more than 13 million victims annually.

Comerica Bank is looking forward to serving the community at Shred Day DFW, and to raising expectations of what a bank can be in the community!

1. What types of items can I bring to Shred Day?

You may bring your paper documents to be securely destroyed and recycled. You are not required to remove small staples, paper clips, rubber bands and/or small fasteners; however, please find a list of prohibited items below.

Anything that contains sensitive information (name, address, social security numbers, account numbers, etc.) that you no longer need, and that you want to keep out of the hands of thieves or “dumpster divers.” These documents could include old utility invoices, bank statements, medical records, credit card offers and old tax documents (older than 7 years), just to name a few.

3. How does Iron Mountain recycle my shredded documents?

After Iron Mountain securely destroys your paper documents, the processed materials are then transported to paper mills to be turned into pulp for recycled paper. This destruction process greatly reduces pollution, preserves landfill space and saves trees, water and even oil resources.

4. Where can I drop off my documents on Saturday, April 23?

At the Dr. Pepper StarCenter (12700 N Stemmons Freeway, Farmers Branch, Texas) during the hours of 8am and 5pm. There is no limit to how much paper you can bring, and we’ll have special lanes for trucks, trailers and large loads. Please note the event works like a giant drive through, and guests are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety reasons.

Note: New to this year's event, we're able to accept and recycle your cardboard boxes! Guest are no longer required to take your cardboard boxes back (unless you want to keep them).

5. Can I drop off my paper documents at Comerica Bank locations before the event or on the day of the event?

Comerica employees are not able to accept documents for shredding from customers or other members of the public. Please attend Shred Day DFW to have your sensitive paper documents destroyed for free on Saturday, April 23.

6. Will my documents be destroyed on-site while I wait?

While we’ll make every effort to destroy the majority of the collected documents onsite with “Mobile Shredding Units,” or live shredding trucks, some of the paper documents will be loaded into secure trucks and transported to Iron Mountain’s nearby shredding plant for secure destruction and recycling. The goal of the event is to process our guests efficiently and for safety reasons, we encourage all guests to remain in their vehicles.

7. Can you take my cardboard boxes, too?

Yes! As a new enhancement to this year's Shred Day DFW event, we are able to accept and recycle your cardboard boxes. Please just indicate to the volunteer handling your paper whether you'd like to keep your boxes, or have us recycle them for free.

8. How can I learn more about Iron Mountain or the North Texas Food Bank?